Mumbai, September 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has criticised the Centre over the all-vegetarian menu served to foreign leaders and delegates at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, arguing that dietary choices should remain a matter of individual preference.
In an editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamana, the party objected to the menu served at the gala dinner hosted at Bharat Mandapam on September 12, saying governments and political organisations should not dictate whether people eat vegetarian or non-vegetarian food.
The dinner featured an Indian vegetarian spread including Khandvi Mille-Feuille, mushroom galouti, Paneer Lababdar, Gucchi Marmik, millet pulao and traditional desserts. Reports on the dinner described the menu as an effort to showcase regional Indian cuisine and ingredients, including millets and Himalayan morels.
The Saamana editorial questioned the decision to serve only vegetarian food to international guests and argued that India’s culinary identity includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian traditions. It also cited popular dishes such as tandoori chicken, biryani, butter chicken, Goan fish curry and Malvani fish as examples of India’s non-vegetarian culinary heritage.
The editorial referred to past diplomatic occasions, including Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Mahabalipuram, when non-vegetarian dishes were reportedly included in the menu. It also cited examples involving Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Morarji Desai to argue that personal dietary preferences need not be imposed on others.
The party further alleged that dietary choices are increasingly becoming a subject of social and political intervention. It referred to controversies surrounding eggs in school meals and alleged discrimination faced by non-vegetarians in housing in cities such as Mumbai.
The editorial also criticised the government’s broader approach to food culture, arguing that India’s diverse culinary traditions should be preserved.
“Individual dietary preference is a personal choice,” the editorial said, while accusing the government of denying people their preferred food choices. It added that different dietary preferences coexist in India and argued that no political party or organisation should seek to alter the country’s food culture.
The criticism comes amid a wider political debate over the BRICS dinner menu, with opposition leaders also questioning the decision to serve an entirely vegetarian spread. The government and its supporters have defended the menu as a presentation of India’s regional culinary traditions and hospitality.
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